WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1745/97 by José APOLINÁRIO to the Commission. Collecting and recycling batteries
Date: 1997-05-23
Institutions: APOLINARIO, European Parliament
Subjects: EC conformity marking, cadmium, electricity storage device, environmental protection, infringement procedure (EU), national implementing measure, pollution control measures, waste management, waste recycling













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91997E1745

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1745/97 by José APOLINÁRIO to the Commission. Collecting and recycling batteries  


Official Journal C 021 , 22/01/1998 P. 0090 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1745/97 by José Apolinário (PSE) to the Commission (23 May 1997)Subject: Collecting and recycling batteriesWith regard to the action programme to combat pollution from cadmium, on the basis of the Council's resolution of 25 January 1988, can the Commission tell me:1. How it evaluates the application of Directives 91/157/EEC ((OJ L 78, 26.3.1991, p. 38.)) and 93/86/EEC ((OJ L 264, 23.10.1993, p. 51.)) by Member State? Have all Member States transposed the directives into national law?2. The percentage of batteries recycled, by Member State?3. What new measures it intends to introduce?Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (4 July 1997)Community Directive 91/157/EEC on batteries and accumulators limits the presence of mercury in batteries. It also contains a number of provisions for certain types of batteries, namely those containing a certain level of mercury, cadmium and lead. Member States are required to establish systems with a view to their separate collection. Furthermore, Directive 93/86/EEC establishes the detailed arrangements for the marking system envisaged by the first Directive.1. Practically all Member States have adopted implementing measures concerning both Directives. However, measures concerning collection, marking and economic instruments are particularly divergent among Member States. Currently some twenty infringement cases have been opened against Member States for failure to implement or incorrect implementation of both Directives. In practice the fragmented implementation of both Directives by Member States has given rise to a number of obstacles and barriers to trade resulting in distortions of the internal market rules.2. The Commission does not have the necessary data in order to answer fully the Honourable Member. However, on the basis of the available information, it may be said that in general, large and automotive batteries are to a large extent collected and recycled - up to 90% in some Member States. As far as consumer batteries are concerned, the collection and recycling rates are much lower. Although some Member States have achieved collection rates of around 50% for this category of batteries - Netherlands, Austria, Germany - most Member States appear to be far from that figure. The situation seems to be particularly disappointing for portable nickel cadmium (NiCd) batteries the collection rates of which vary in Member States between 10% and 35%.3. The Commission is looking into the need for a general review of Directive 91/157/EEC, which may result in a proposal to the Parliament and the Council during this year. During the review, the Commission will look into the need to extend the scope of the Directive, further to restrict the marketing of environmentally hazardous batteries as well as to improve the collection, recycling and marking requirements.